Steve MacIntyre — For the Sun-News
Kevin Hoban, chief of the Mesilla Fire Department, and his staff will have to remain in the town's Public Safety Building while substantial renovations are being made. The building is the only place to house fire trucks and related equipment. Meanwhile, the Mesilla Marshals Department has been relocated to the Mesilla Community Center.

MESILLA &GT;&GT; Public safety operations in Mesilla are now in two locations, as renovations to the town's Public Safety Building have begun.

The Mesilla Marshals Department has set up temporary operations at the Mesilla Community Center, 2251 Calle de Santiago. However, the Mesilla Volunteer Fire Department still is headquartered at the Mesilla Public Safety Building, 2670 Calle de Parian.

Marshal Christopher Mangusing said his department's relocation was necessary because of extensive building renovations to begin soon.

"We'll be (at the Community Center) until renovations to the building are complete," Mangusing said.

Steve MacIntyre — For the Sun-News
The town's Marshals Department has relocated its offices to the Mesilla Community Center, above, but the Mesilla Volunteer Fire Department will remain at the Public Safety Building, 2670 Calle de Paria, until March, when renovations should be completed.

But not so for the Fire Department. Chief Kevin Hoban said there isn't an appropriate place to keep the town's four fire trucks while the work is being done, so they will stay put.

"We need to be here closer to the equipment," Hoban said. "We don't know exactly what the construction schedule is, but we're shooting for March when we'll also move temporarily to the Community Center."

Mesilla has been allocated a combined $980,000 in state capital outlay funding from the New Mexico Legislature in 2013 and 2014. That also includes $83,000 in reallocated legislative funds that have to be spent by Monday to pay for stabilizing some of the building's interior walls.

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Installation of telephone lines and Internet service for the Marshals Department, at the Community Center, should now be completed.

"We're good to go," Mangusing said. "We're hoping we won't be here too long, but it could be for about a year."

Phone numbers for the Marshals and Fire departments won't change. The public can still reach the Marshals Department at 575-526-4138, and the Fire Department's phone number remains 575-523-1311.

Staffing remains limited at the Marshals Department. Mangusing said he and the town's four deputies spend the majority of their time patrolling during their 12-hour shifts. However, Mangusing regularly checks for voice messages and he has told residents he will make every effort to return calls.

At a recent community meeting, some residents raised concerns about difficulties they have had trying to reach Marshals Department personnel by telephone. The department used to have a receptionist to take calls from residents during weekday business hours, but that position was eliminated in 2008 when a recession forced a reduction in force of town government.

"However, if there is an urgent problem that could involve life and public safety then, absolutely, people should call 911," Mangusing said.

Hoban said factors in the decision to keep the Fire Department at its current location came down to costs and weather.

"We looked for a suitable building close to the town but that turned out to be very cost prohibitive, so we stopped looking" Hoban said. "We can't keep the town's fire trucks parked outside during the winter. Being out in the elements like that would freeze the lines in the trucks."

Town officials also had difficulties finding a structure large enough to fit Mesilla's four fire trucks. One is 23 feet long, another is 27 feet, a third 31 feet, and a fourth, 34-feet long. Hoban added there were problems finding a facility that had doors at least 10 feet tall so the fire trucks could safely move in and out.

"We would need facilities that are heated so the water lines in the fire trucks don't freeze," Hoban said.

So, the only apparent option left is for the Fire Department to stay where it's at, and wait for spring — and warmer weather — to come. At that time it is possible Mesilla could lease a large tent, or similar structure, and Hoban has already begun to explore that possibility.

"Obviously, we don't want to delay the work," he said. "If the solution is affordable we'll look at it."